Pakistani Sikh Gurdeep Singh wins Senate election from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar, March 3

Gurdeep Singh of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Wednesday became the first turban-clad Sikh representative from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan’s Senate when he defeated rival candidates on a minority seat by a huge margin in the election to the upper chamber of Parliament.

Singh secured 103 votes in the House of 145 whereas Jamiat Ulema-e Islam (Fazlur) candidate Ranjeet Singh secured just 25 votes and Asif Bhatti of the Awami National Party received 12.

The Election Commission authorities informed that five votes of minority candidates were rejected by the Presiding Officer.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmud Khan had claimed that Singh would secure 102 votes whereas he obtained one more vote indicating that one Opposition member also voted in his favour.

Singh, who hails from Swat district, is the first turban-clad Sikh representative from the province in the Senate.

Hindu community leader Haroon Sarabdiyal hailed the election of Singh as Senator from the province, saying it’s good omen for the minority community.

The total strength of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly is 94. The extra votes were polled by the members of the parliamentary parties supporting the PTI in the province.

The members of the Senate – the upper house of parliament – are elected for six-year terms. PTI